Gas operated starting mechanism



y Paientecl PAT v,s'iriuvrlisrd MECHeNIsM j y f Meting-newark, frans, France;

ThisA invention f relates :tov` gas-operated-fpistonj mechanismto be employedk for the kstartingfoff.` internalcom'bustion engines `and* other -ana-lo'- gous purposes,l utilizing .combustible or.exp1osivev 5 cartridges for` generating'fg'as's under pressure.

The inventionl hasv for an' object to providef improved means forl the ignition of thegas-gen- .f eratingcartridge by'low tension electric current.v such as. can be obtained from1-autor`nobilebat`,

Arlurtherr object ofthe inventionqis-to kprovide improved means ffor the application-ofA the gas-generating cartridge .tothe operation of pis-.

ton mechanism, foriexamplein the starting-of. 15 internal combustionengineszlby piston/.devices opera-ted .by gas pressure; and. to enablea rsuccession of cartridges to bef loaded and iired with*- out danger, ifi-the engine failsto start atthefiirst attempt. 1

Other objects andnovel features of the present invention Awillrappear from? the following ydescripticn'of a preferredembodiment;reference being had therein'to theaccompanying drawe ings-,in which: f Fig. 1 representsin part-sectional elevation a. gaseoperatedengine starter. A Fig.` 2 is` a; part-sectional elevationof the fpis` tol or cartridge-firing device-v adapted togen-f v`crate vthe gases for loperating `ther engine starter, 30 the sectionbeing ,taken on the Vline2--2 of Fig.

4. [Figi 2a is an'elevation of the ycartridge-sup,- porting cradle shown incompletely in Fig. 2.. Fig.3 yrepresents 1in perspective view oneform 4ofl vthe improved cartridge; i l y Fig. 4 is an end view of -the pistol shown in Fig. 2the body'beingpartly in section. Fig.f5 isa part-sectional elevation correspondj ing toi Fig. 2, but showing the cartridge enclosed f. inthe combustion chamber.` s I Fig. '6,is a detail, in section von a larger scale, of the heating f plug mounted in the movable breech-.bolt of the pistol., 1 vFig. V'7 is a( diagram of electricalv 'connectionsfor the heating .plug circuit. Fig.v 8 represents a pressure-time graph show-y ing the rise and fall 'of pressurein .the engine starter at. the'explosion of. two'successive carf .tridgesL Referring to Fig. 1, the engine starter shown 50 is of'thefkind described in my U. S. A. Patent, No.` 1,538,700.3 dated yMay 19,.,1925. and ,illustratedA` -in`Figs.`3"and 4`of the patent speciicationffrom which the' following description is.' abstractedk 'A with.slightalterations:y y j Y Y f u One `piston a is secured toa screwK b which is /to"a.,sn1all extentfjustsumcient to 'shift av cou-f ypling'orsjawgclutch blwhichis mounted on# a..

vdirection. relatively tothe `fixed icylinder h. vby

d and so shapedtliat itis necessary` to exert a leither inwards or outwards.

pushes along thepiston a which isfiastvto/thev .of the threads on 'the 'screw b, the: sleeve merely hollowediout: internally.; y a :second piston g is secured to a a sleeve' d." carrying at its i adjacent endv a: nut d 1in :which the screw-'b isengaged.' Thetpistons'v af and gare guided in an air-.tight mannen-within a stationary cylinder h havin'g an "inlet ,port h1y throughv which Athe gases -can=Y be admitted :tolthe space between thev two pis-y tons. The piston d isrevoluble within the cylinder'h; but .can move longitudinally ,therein onlyA shaft b2 .secured to thescrewrb, into engagementy withA a driving pinv c1. 'on the engine shaft c. During' this advance of thefpiston'a, thescrew bI works through the rthreads of the nut d2,while` the boss a1. ontheouter. face' of the piston enters `a central hole in ".the stationary end-plate a2.

The sleeve d; isiprevented `from revolviiiin one means of longitudinal groovesl3 formed lonits outer surface; and.L by` feathersl il secured f within `a ring-i1 providedwith ratchetrteeth i2 engag' ing Withcorrespondingteeth h2 carriedloyf the.'

cylinder h. These ratchet teeth are. inclined in".

such away thatthey allow thevring i1 `torevolvev incone direction'but opposelits rotation in. the` other, direction.,` A springk bearing against a 'cover I screwed upon the cylinder h-tendsto maintainthefratchet teeth h3 and i2 in constant engagement. coiled spring. m located inside V30.v

thefscrew'b is attached atone rextremity 'to the" pistonend of this 'screw and at its othertextrern-` ity to a,r cross` pin dluponthe sleeve d, thus tend.;` `ing to maintain the two ypistonsfa and gconlstantly,in contact. VThevgcylinder cover lfis pro- ,-l

videdfinternally with a throat or groove Z1, with'- `in which, when the 'abparatusis at rest.' there is engaged a plate springd` carried by the sleeve.'

certain force in ordertofdisplace the y sleeve Gas under pressure being admitted u'atfthe inlet' portv h1 between' thetwo.piston's, .first screwfb thereby causing the latter -td Vscrew through the nut d2; this piston lrevolves with the shaft "b2, .advancingfto an 'extent just sui` .cient to bring the jawclutch b3 carried, `by,k thel travels longitudinally and causes the screw b to rotate, which thus turns the engine shaft c. When the admission of compressed gas ceases, the two pistons a and g resume their initial position under the action of the spring m, the jaw clutch b3 being disengaged from the pin c1.

'I'he gas for operating the starter is generated in a pistol or cartridge-firing device shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, utilizing a cartridge such as illustrated in Fig. 3. Referring to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the pistol comprises a body I0, having at one end a flange Il by which it can besecured to a convenient support; inside the body I0, there is provided a combustion chamber I2 fitted with a liner |5 having its outer surface formed with longitudinal notches I6 to allow gas to pass from one end of the chamber to the other by way of these notches. A diffuser plate |1 fitted at the inner end of the chamber I2 is provided with a plurality of holes I8 giving access from the chamber into a convergent outlet passage |9 leading to a union 2|) for the attachment of a pipe 2|, which conveys gas pressure to the inlet port h1 of the starter shown in Fig. l. In order to allow the loading of the pistol with a cartridge 22, such as shown in Fig. 3, the combustion chamber I2 opens out into a breech chamber 23 having a movable breech bolt 24 operated by a handle 25, the bolt 24 being provided with helical lugs 26 which engage with corresponding lugs 21 at the sides of the breechchamber for locking the breech in closed position in the manner well-known in the art of breech-loading firearms. When the breechchamber is opened by raising the handle 25 to disengage the lugs and then slid backwards to the position shown in Fig. 2, a cylindrical cartridge such as 22 (Fig. 3) can be dropped into place in the breech chamber 23, so as to lie between the bolt 24 and the open end of the combustion chamber I2, being supported in this position by a cradle 28 carried by a lever 29 pivoted at 3D (Fig. 2a); forward movement of the bolt then pushes the cartridge along the cradle 28 until its front end enters the combustion chamber, the cradle being forced downwards due to the engagement of its lever 29 by the bevelled edge of the advancing bolt. At the same time, a conical-ended plug 3| mounted in the front face of the bolt engages in a central bore 32 of the cartridge, so that the latter is maintained in axial alinement with the chamber I2; when the cartridge is fully home in the chamber and pressing against the diffuser plate I1, the bolt is rotated by turning down the handle 25 so as to lock the breech bolt by the co-operating lugs 26, 21, the bolt then occupying' the position of Fig. 5 and the handle 25 the position shown i dotted lines at 25a in Fig. 4;

The forward movement of the breech bolt 24, in depressing the cradle 28, causes the lever 29 to lift its rear end after the bolt has moved sufficient to clear this end 33 of the lever, which then projects up behind the bolt, as seen in Fig. 5; on the return movement, theV bolt acts to depress the rear end of the lever 29, thus returning the cradle 28' to the position shown in Fig. 2.

'I'he combustion chamber I2 has a lateral port 34 communicating with a longitudinal passage 35 formed in the body I0, this passage enclosing a valve stem 36 carrying a valve head 31 normally seated upon a bevelled facing38 at a restricted part of the passage; the rear extremity of this 'valve stem is secured to a bridge piece 39 which in turn is secured to a plunger 40 carrying a push button 4I at its outer end, a spring 42 within this button acting to' return the plunger and close the valve, as seen in Fig. 5. A transverse duct 43 connects the restricted part of the passage 35 to another longitudinal passage 44 to which a discharge pipe 45 is connected by 4a union 46; in the open position of the valve 31 (see Fig. 2), the combustion chamber is thus in communication with the discharge pipe. The bridge 39 is slotted at 41 to receive the stem 48 of a latch 49 movable in a direction radial of the breech chamber 23, vthislatch being normally held outwards by one of the lugs 26 upon the breech bolt 24, in the position of Fig. 2, or by the breech bolt 24 itself as the latter advances towards the position of Fig. 5, but being adapted to slide inwards and engage in a notch 50 at the rear of the bolt 24 when the latter is closed, as shown in Fig. 5. The sliding movement of the latch is controlled by the bridge 39, the upper and lower faces of the latter being formed with notches having oppositely directed bevelled ends 5|, 52 respectively, which engage with the adjacent faces of the latch 49 and of a head 53 at the outer end of the latch stem 48. The bevelled surface 5| acts to force the latch into the notch 50, when the bolt 24 is closed (see Fig. 5), the valve 31 then sealing the escape duct 43; the bevelled face 52 acts to force the latch out of the notch 58 when the button 4| is pushed inwards, this operation being therefore necessary before the breech can be opened, so that if pressure still remains in the chamber I2 a warning is given by the rush of gas through the discharge pipe 45 which may be connected to a whistle or other suitable signal.

The passage 35, which is in constant communication with the combustion chamber I2 by way of the port 34, whether or not the valve 31 is open, is also connected by a duct 54 to a safety device which allows the gases to escape to the atmosphere in the event of excessive pressure developing in the combustion chamber, due for example to blockage of the outlet passage I9 or pipe 2|. This safety device comprises a thin metal disc 55 secured by an apertured cap nut 56 in a plug 51 which is mounted in a cavity 58 on the underside of the body Il), the duct 54 leading into the bottom of this cavity so that the gas pressure will act upon the inner face of the disc 55; the aperture 59 in the cap nut 56 ensures that the disc is subjected to atmospheric pressure on its youter face, and the disc is so constructed that it will fracture if the internal gas pressure exceeds the value calculated to be safe for the other parts of the apparatus. A broken disc can be replaced by removing the cap nut 56 and fitting a fresh disc in Vplace of the broken one.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the cartridge 22 is provided with a plurality of parallel holes 60 equally spaced apart and around the central bore 32, these holes extending from end to end of the cartridge and being for instance six in number and of the same diameter as the central hole. vThe cartridge shown is more fully described and claimed in my continuing patent application Serial No. 244,292 led Decembel` 6, 1938.

Fig. 6 illustrates the construction of theigniting plug 3| carried by the breech bolt ,24; as thereshown, the heating plug comprises a metal tube or barrel 6I adapted to be screwed into the movable breech bolt 24, the tube being formed,

with a. bevelled collar 62 seating in a correspond- 75 lnglybevenedfhole 'in the kfrommui-ln offtii' f bolt, 'and havingits rear, endformed;-1with screw-1 threads ilengasnsinfa orrespondinslyscrewed 4:0- not make' contactlwithwthe discunlessfthe breech-l is properly closedandlocked; *y connection s '1 forr enabling "the z electrode of,they igniting plug f tor bef connected wth afzsuit'able source oisl current 18a-such* as a `6-*volt1` automobile; battery,'e under;- the control of theswitch contactsflz, 5x14' oper-a`V` fmos'phericpressurei witha gradual rise of presj- Slire. at 10.9 vforfth engagement@ the rjawplumb.' r` fb, thefrressure .theniarsing more steeply, @ibf l {with-a number; .of .st eps orgslight-,declines 82 vat,-. successively higher A yalues,thelsefstepsgrepresentf ins thefeffectntforercmnsfthe compresspixini v the-@sereni cylinders af the engine, until the' graduallyincreasingpressure* succeedsiri startv l `the cartridge is complet lyburnt.;v when' hev curve of 1pressure at 8 3jw1l1 slowly fallgbackjto '.the-.atmosph eric 'line '|9,' vIi;'1 will beunderstod f thatafterfthe firing of, each cartridgafthe bolt:2 4 hasta be unlathed by, op-l veration-of the push Abutton4 soy as ytodischarge; any` residual pressure inthe-chamber I2 before the lbrfeechjcan j be'opened .to insertanother cartridgejllthu's all, dangeroffinjury; tothe oper-, f opening oi thebree'chisfob-y hole in the 1rear1wall1-63a of; thefboltgfsogtha thegtubeismounted tightly inLDlace,v The; innert. oriorwardfendgof thetubeterminates in a thingy conical wall y65 vharing a small; centraly hole 68,9z the wally, being of. tapering thickness; s o lthat y the hole 8 6 resembles a circularknife-edgegaAn, electrode passes axially throughthe-tubei,fthe f stemlS'l of l the electrode being surrounded by .insulating material,l such as magnesia,l y filling; the, space within the' tube 6|,as iridicatedat'BI, and` `v i the inner orfront endlof the electrode stent- V forms a -head GS which nts-tightly within the y sharpedged hole Edin-the conicalwall 85; 'They' electrodeis thus insulated from ,thea- Outer tub e=.. 6 Iy except at4 the head 69a where yit contacts with r;

' theedge :of 'the holeV 66, fandmay: bei welded thereto; the; other vend of the electrode stem passes out through a 'porcelain orlike insulator 10 yat y the outer end gof .the tubey 6 handv is s ecured by a nutli beyond which there is secured;- an electrical contact disc`l 2 fhavingfits lperiph- The-'contact discl2,1is-adaptedtofbe engaged by a contact plunger `working in an insulat-.

ingbushfzl mounted in the wallaotr-the breech chamber 23,4 at the iside of the pistol, asf shown in1llg. 4; the plungeriflris operatedby a"- 1:ress.k buttonf 18,y the movement of whichis ,limitedfbyr 'a shoulder 11 so that theplunger 1 4 can `engage theW periphery ofjthe discallfat.; its extreme outerfa; i edge, but-isunable to 'make vcontact: .withrithe bottom -oi the 4notch 13522? AThe ,position oi'; 'the; .notch in relation to the rotaryf; locking moyef ment ofthe breech bolt :istsuchfthat the notch lies on the side :towards ,the v lcontact :plunger-114;A until the Sbolt 'has Abeen locked bye turning .down a y. the'ghan'dle. 25; consequentlynthe plunger:V can- -5 Fig. 7l vshows r t suitable'. electrical ated byfth press-button5.18atr the side of' the pistol; the passage of Acurrent will heat=up the head 89 .andfthin conical wall `65 "ofthe plug device, the'production-fof heat being concen- -trated in theL resistance formed by the thin wall:-y V and its knifeedge in contact with the electrodev head; the heat is thus transmitted the plugl directly to the central part of the cartridgeythe combustion starting when the. electrode head reaches a temperature of- V 180. CL, for example.

Due to the outward development of the combusf" tion, the generation of gases-begins relatively slowly, Abutwhen the combustion extends tothe ring oi! holes 60 in the cartridge,'the ignited surface increases rapidly withA a correspondinglyf=- accelerated generation of gas until the whole of' the cartridge is consumed.; The slow initial generation and accelerated later` generation obthevarying pressure developed when employing the present `invention for starting a :finiti-cylim` derexplosionr engine by means of astarter of the kind described, will be representedgraphlcally by an approximately horizontal line .10 (atswitches.; 1 I

nected to a gaszoutletg; said; combustion 'chamber 1111,18 adapted ltoieng'age 'said cartridge ,when; fed

i 2. 4A ga's generatcrgfo thef operationgfgf-pis;

ton mechanism#` comprising-fa;combustion Semmai-. bervadaptedto receive van explosive' cartridge yanda;y

y 'In additiontof'startinggexplosion engines, f the. 20 1 inventionj cangbefemployed ,forgeneratinglgases f tofbe used ior zoperatingfpiston;mechanismfof, '51 other kinds, for` example reciprocating pumps v' raridfpiston"devicesqactuating oil-break electricalr n g' having angzoutleat .for the gases. produced-'byl comv bustioneoi `said cartridge, fa vbreeclibolt Amovable ed, centrally:at1the endiof said breech *bolt aded to engagea hole inthe cartridge ,for centeri axially -iny line with'said chamberA for 1 feeding a] l I cartldsefjinto sadchamber, rsaid vbreech bolt,A beingrotatable through a part-revolution forl f locking in relationl to, said chamberA after {feeding afcartridge thereinto, a heating plug mount-.

jacent to said'chambensaid heating plug adapt-v ing it'in relation to said'chamber duringfth'e `axial movementfzorsaidrlbreech boltfand, e1e`c- .rf

V` trical meansfor'heating said plug to cause ig-r nition of saidfcartridge within said chamber.

' V3. A gas vgenerator for the operation of pis-V ing acartridge thereunto, heatingvplug mountn v ,ed centrally at1t,he:endv of said breech bolt'adj f' 'jacentto said chamber, `saicl heating plug adapted to-engage a hole inthe cartridge for center-KV vingitin-relationto said chamber-during the I.tori mechanism. comprising a combustion "chamf 4.076;vvv intowxsaidz, combustion-.- chambenq and electrical means Afor heatingsaid plug to'-"cause ifigniti on it hin s aid combustion ,ham y axial movement of said breech bolt, and electrical means for heating said plug to cause ignition of said cartridge Within said chamber, said electrical means including a safety switch controlled by the rotation of said breech bolt.

4. A gas generator for the operation of piston Y mechanism, comprising a. combustion chamber adapted to receive an explosive cartridge and having an outlet for the gasesproduced by combustion of said cartridge, a breech bolt movable axially in line with said chamber for feeding a cartridge into said chamber, said breech bolt being `rotatable through a part-revolution for` vlocking in relation to said chamber after feedaxially in line with said vchamber for feeding a` cartridge into said chamber, said breech bolt being rotatable through a part-revolution for locking in relation to said chamber after feeding a cartridge thereintma heating plug mounted on said breech bolt for igniting the cartridge within said chamber, electrical means for heating said plug, a manually operable contact member, and a rotary contact member carried by said breech bolt, said manual and rotary contact members being included in the circuit of said electrical heating means and being engageable to complete said circuit only in the locked pcs/- tionpf said breech bolt.

6. A gas generator for the operation of piston mechanism, comprising a combustion chamber, one end of said combustion chamber being connected to a gas outlet, said combustion vchamber being adapted to receive an explosive cartridge, means for feeding an explosive cartridge into said combustion chamber andk thereafter sealing the end of said combustion chamber remote from said outlet, electrical means for igniting said cartridge within said combustion chamber, and safety means to prevent inverse operation of said feeding means to unseal said combustion chamber While pressure remains in said combustion chamber.

7. A gas generator for the operation of piston mechanism, comprising a combustion chamber, one end of said combustion chamber being connected to a gas outlet, said combustion chamber being adapted to receive an explosive cartridge, means for feeding an explosive cartridge into said combustion chamber and thereafter sealing the end of said combustion chamber remote from said outlet, electrical means for igniting said cartridge within said combustion chamber, a latch adapted to engage said feeding means after the sealing of `said combustion chamber, manual means for disengaging said latch, a valve actuated by said manual means, and a signal operated by residual pressure in said combustion chamber at the actuation of said.

valve by attempted manual disengagement of said latch.

8. A gas generator for the operation of piston mechanism, comprising'a combustion chamber,y

one end of said combustion chamber being connectedvto a gas'outlet, said combustion' cham-` ber adapted to receive an explosive cartridge, a breech chamber extending coaxally from the other end of said combustion chamber. a member movable axially within said breech cham' said cartridge into said combustion chamber,`

and electrical means for igniting said cartridge Within said combustion chamber.

' NICOLAS -HERZMARK 

